Clitheroe school bids to become an academy (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Clitheroe school bids to become an academy

11:14am Friday 27th August 2010 in Darwen By Nafeesa Shan, Reporter

CLITHEROE Royal Grammar School has formally applied to become an academy.

It is the only school in East Lancashire to make a bid after 15 expressed an initial interest in July.

Academies will be outside of local authority control and will have the freedom to teach their own curriculum and to set teachers' pay and conditions.

Nationally 2,000 schools said they were interested in becoming academies in July.

About 150 have now made a formal application.

Schools rated outstanding by Ofsted – such as Clitheroe – are being fast-tracked through the process, but it is unclear when Clitheroe might become an academy.

If the school, led by headteacher Judith Child, continues with the academy process it would be free from local authority control and could set its own curriculum.

In a statement, school bosses said: “We would be able to remain a free grammar school, but have greater autonomy from central control.

"Initial investigations would suggest that there would be many benefits from taking on this status.”

In a presentation, the school said it would benefit from increased direct funding and a reduction in bureaucracy.

Bosses would be able to carry money forward for developments such as the sports hall.

It has promised that it ‘will not make changes that will not benefit your sons/daughters'.

Staff would be employed on the same terms, and that the school would keep its name and remain free.

If the Secretary of State gives approval, the next stage will involve detailed discussions with the education department.

Lancashire County Councillor Susie Charles, children and schools boss, said: “The freedoms academies would gain are, by and large, from national legislation relating to curriculum, teachers' pay and conditions, and school hours.”